Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-09-08
CHILDREN OF THE RICH.
THE SOURCE OF ALL TRUE HAP
PINeSS UNKNOWN TO THEM.

Facts Concerning the Most Neglected
Class in Any Communicable Re.
strAints Which Wealth Imp"s---N"th-
ing to Wish aud Plan For-Contrast..
There is apparently nothing more need.
ed at this time than society for the
amelioration of the condition uf the chill
dren Of the rich" The poor children ap-
/ peal TO the sympathies Of every one, We
have them with us, on our hearts and con
sciences always, but the children of the
rich are the most neglected class i'll any
community.
| First. they are neglected by their own
parents What with the summer months
at a gay watering place and the winter
spent in the gildy whirl "f society, it is a
fortunate child of the rich who knows its
own mother The fathers business occu-
pies his time and thoughts; from 20
to 60 years of age he finds that all Of
his faculties are required To repair the
damages of one panic and provide in ad-
vance for another IL the child is well
clothed and has his or her school bills sent
in regularly. the man OF business cares
believes he has fulfilled all the obligations
of an indulgent father, conscious that he
has done more for his child than was done
for him.
Thus the child is driven back on his
nurse, or the groom, or the butler-ac-
cording to age or condition-for sympathy
nd fellowship. Here il not his manners,
lis morals and his views of life are
formed.
DELIGHTS THAT ARE DENIED.
But of these disadvantages the child II
not himself conscious until, later in life,
he reviews his beginnings. What most
troubles him is the restraint which the
wealth of his parents imposes on his
action. He is cut of from the associates
of his own age, il We except a few Gagged
animals like unto himself OF the free
dom of youth he knows little or nothing.
The delight Of anticipation is denied by
the qualification in advance Of all wishes
for balls, bats, kites, and the thousand
and one things which the happy boy Of
the poor makes for himself No rich boy
ever felt the thrill of delight, of conscious
power which comes to the boy who has
constructed out Of nothing a kite that Is
sailing to the stars and almost drawing
him after II. The boy of the rich has
bought for him those lopsided. fantastic
Japanese abortions which do not take
naturally to the varying waves of o'.- up
per atmosphere.
For the child Of the rich there is moth
ing to wish for. to plan for, to deny ones
self for; everything is at his command,
and his boyish nature is smothered by his
unusual privileges. If he is permitted to
60 to the circus at all il is only with some
old fellow whose memory of his youth has
faded, and to whom the smell Of the saw
dust has no suggestion Of past delight, |
and as he paid At the door for q reserved
seat the poor child Of destiny has no thrill
Of fear and terror when the boy with the
lemonade whispers to the man at the door
and points significantly in his direction.
IN HIS NATURAL STATE.
A boy in his natural state is an animal J
who revels in the freedom Of disorder and
under the system Of doing for himself
learns to do for others. Every faculty he
has is quickened by exercise and hidden !
strength developed under necessity. But !
the son Of the rich is, as we have said, q |
Gagged and pampered animal. Before he !
reaches years Of conscious intelligence he |
is the victim Of ennri, and all ambition |
has died within him. He Is not spurred |
on by the thought that one day he may be !
president: he does not understand why |
one should want to be president, and, be- !
sides. he learns from school books that it |
is position reserved for the sons of poor
but honest parents.
The contrasts, as they suggest them
selves, are innumerable-they are sufii-
cient for q volume. Enough have been
noted to convince the reasonable man
who has in his mind any recollection Of
his youth, that the children of the rich
have as yet an unrecognized claim on our